Lucas followed Officer Jenny back to the Pokémon Center and asked Nurse Joy about the situation. Nurse Joy had stayed up all night; although she was exhausted, her face was full of Joy and relief.
"Everyone is fine now."
Nurse Joy served two cups of hot water to Lucas and Officer Jenny, saying with a smile, "Fortunately, they were rescued in time. With the help of the Ninetales on the ship and the herbal medicine Gothitelle personally delivered, their condition isn't that serious. They just need to rest well now."
Then she looked at Lucas. "Thank you, Gengar, and the other Pokémon from the Breeding House. This time, it really was thanks to you."
Hearing that they were fine, Lucas also breathed a sigh of relief, then joked with a smile, "When is it not thanks to me?"
Nurse Joy was taken aback, then thought about it carefully. "...You're right."
Lucas asked Nurse Joy to say a few more words of thanks, but suddenly felt a pain in his back. Officer Jenny had slapped him on the back without hesitation.
"I get angry just hearing that. I'm starting to wonder if it's because of you that more has happened in Twinleaf Town recently than in the last several years combined."
Meeting Officer Jenny's suspicious gaze, Lucas's eyes darted away for some reason.
No way!?
Could it be that he was like a certain God of Death? Wherever he went, trouble followed?
That shouldn't be right; that wouldn't explain the things happening in other places.
So, this shouldn't be his fault.
Lucas nodded deeply.
It must be that Twinleaf Town has had bad luck lately.
Watching Nurse Joy explain things to him, Lucas cracked his sore neck and said, "Sister Reese, Sister Joy, since there's nothing major left here, why don't you come back to the Breeding House with me for breakfast and then rest for a while?"
Officer Jenny didn't stand on ceremony after hearing this; she just mimicked Lucas and cracked her neck.
"I'm fine with that. I can leave the supervision and report writing to the other staff. It's mainly Reese; I don't know if Reese can get away."
Nurse Joy glanced at the busy Pokémon Center. "I'll go ask."
She left but soon jogged back with a smile. "Done! The rest can be left to them. Let's go eat. I've been worried all night and I'm starving."
Lucas nodded, and Officer Jenny beside him said, "Let's go, let's head to the Breeding House for a free meal."
Walking out of the Pokémon Center, Officer Jenny sat on Arcanine's back, then reached out to pull Nurse Joy up, heading toward the Breeding House ahead of Lucas.
Lucas leisurely sat on Ninetales' back and followed them back to the Breeding House.
He had called Mime Jr. in advance, asking it to help prepare more breakfast, making it as abundant as possible.
Mime Jr. said over the phone to leave it to him.
And Gothitelle, after finishing her business, had gone back to the Breeding House early to prepare breakfast.
She knew Lucas and the others had been busy all night and would be hungry, so after finishing her work, she told Lucas and headed back to the Breeding House without resting.
Thinking back to Gothitelle, who had rushed back to prepare breakfast even though her mental power was nearly exhausted...
Gothitelle, whom the entire ship called "Mama," was truly surprisingly reliable.
"It looks like I should find a few more helpers for Gothitelle and Mime Jr. Even though we have Alcremie now, I feel like we still need more Pokémon who are good at cooking to help them,"
Lucas said with a yawn.
"After all, there are still too many mouths to feed in the Breeding House."
Lucas glanced at Gengar, who was floating beside him constantly eating snacks, and sighed. "Especially since some of them are big eaters with huge appetites."
"yuki?"
What's wrong?
The Snorunt in his arms looked up at Lucas.
Lucas shook his head, reached out to ask Gengar for some snacks, fed some to the Snorunt in his arms, and tossed the rest into his own mouth.
"Lilli~"
We're home.
Lilligant, sitting on Staraptor's back, said to Lucas.
Lucas looked at Lilligant and nodded.
For some reason, in the middle of winter, Lilligant seemed to have taken a liking to going for joyrides. He didn't know how she communicated with Staraptor, but now she had to sit on Staraptor's back and fly around the sky for a few laps every day.
Lucas vaguely remembered that when they returned from the first ride, Staraptor's feathers were messy and even a bit bald in some places, while only the hem of Lilligant's dress was slightly dirty.
At that time, Staraptor seemed to have something to say, but in the end, it was forced back by a look from Lilligant, looking exactly like someone who was angry but dared not speak out.
Walking into the Breeding House, Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy were already lying down in the rest area. Seeing Lucas return, Officer Jenny couldn't help but howl a couple of times, "Why are you only back now? We're about to starve to death."
Lucas glanced at the dining table. The breakfast was almost all ready—piles of bread, fresh Moomoo Milk, honey water, and fresh goat milk.
"You didn't have to wait for me; you could have started eating."
Lucas said, handing his coat to the Lilligant beside him. Lilligant held the coat and jogged to put it away. Lucas came to the table and took a deep sniff; it smelled delicious.
This was the taste—coming back from hard work and always having a steaming hot meal waiting, no matter the time.
Lucas clapped his hands together. "In that case, everyone, let's eat!"
"I've been waiting for you to say that."
"Then I won't be polite~"
Gengar gargar!!
How can you steal my bread?!
Oh, Gengar, don't be so stingy. Doesn't Lucas have plenty over there?
Reese, you're corrupting Gengar again.
What? No, I'm not. Here, little Shauna, this is for you.
"Thank you, Sister Reese."
Lucas looked at the noisy dining table with a gentle gaze. Just then, a bowl of hot soy milk was placed in front of him.
Lucas looked up and saw it was Gothitelle.
Gothitelle.
I squeezed this for you, drink it while it's hot.
Smelling the fresh aroma of soybeans from the soy milk, Lucas gave a very bright smile. "Thank you, Mama~"
After he said that, the entire dining table went silent.
Lucas was also stunned.
Damn, my mouth slipped again.
Gothitelle?
What kind of nonsense are you saying again!? Just drink it.
Lucas then obediently drank the soy milk.
Looking at Mime Jr., who had come to sit beside him, Lucas pinched its small nose. "Thanks for your hard work, Mime Jr., and Alcremie, Gothitelle. Thank you for preparing such a rich breakfast for us."
Mine Mine～
Eemee～
A flash of mischief crossed Officer Jenny's face, and she said, "Thank you, Mime Jr., Alcremie, and... Mama~"
Lucas's face turned red.
He glared at Officer Jenny.
Officer Jenny chewed her bread and laughed heartily, completely unconcerned with her image.
"Me too, thank you, Mime Jr., Alcremie, and Mama~"
Nurse Joy also drawled out the word.
Lucas buried his head.
Forget it, just let the world end.
While Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy, and Gengar were laughing, Gothitelle's voice came over.
Gothitelle.
Are you all going to eat or not?
Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy, Gengar, and a Lilligant looked at each other and lowered their heads to laugh secretly.
After struggling through breakfast, Lucas went upstairs to shower. After coming down and briefing the Fujinos, Dash, and the others on some Breeding House matters, Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy had already gone to the room to sleep together.
Lucas was about to go upstairs when he saw Gothitelle motioning for him to sit in the rest area. Lucas sat down as Gothitelle intended, and then felt his shoulders relax.
Two small purple hands were continuously massaging his shoulders.
Lucas had a look of pure enjoyment.
He kept thinking to himself that Gothitelle shouldn't be called Gothitelle, she should be called Gothitelle Mama.
Sitting beside Lilligant and smelling the fragrance from the flowers on her head, Lucas slowly closed his eyes.
Hearing the familiar and slight snoring, Gothitelle stopped her movements, made a shushing gesture, and then gently lifted Lucas with her mental power, walking toward the upstairs room.
Back in the room, Gothitelle gently placed Lucas on the carpet, letting him lie in Ninetales' embrace. She covered him with a quilt and then lay down beside Lucas herself, with Lilligant on the other side. She let out a yawn and fell peacefully asleep.
Lucas smacked his lips, turned over, and pulled Lilligant into his arms.
He said intermittently in his sleep, "I love... you guys... the most..."
A pair of crimson eyes lit up on the ceiling.
Gengar gargar～
We do too~